Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy

Process Overview and Responsibilities

Federal regulations require students receiving federal financial aid to maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP) toward the completion of a federal aid eligible program. The following sources of federal student aid may be awarded if a student qualifies:

• Federal Pell Grant
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
• Federal Work Study
• Federal Direct Loan (subsidized and unsubsidized)
• Federal Direct PLUS Loan (parents of dependent students only)

The Financial Aid SAP Policy evaluates qualitative and quantitative components to determine federal financial aid eligibility. Failure to meet both requirements result in financial aid warning status for the following semester of enrollment if the SAP status was satisfactory in the prior semester of enrollment. If the student does not meet the SAP requirements after the warning semester, federal aid is suspended for subsequent semesters. The student may appeal for reconsideration if an extenuating circumstance prevented successful completion of the semesters in which the requirements were not met.

The Financial Aid SAP Policy applies consistently to all categories of students who have a FAFSA on file, regardless of enrollment status, program of study, or any other category of student.

"Same as or Stricter" than Requirement

Sinclair's Financial Aid SAP Policy and Academic Progress Policy each require students maintain a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) greater than or equal to 2.0. The Academic Progress Policy applies to all students, including non-federal financial aid recipients, to ensure students meet the required 2.0 graduation requirement upon program completion.

The Financial Aid SAP Policy evaluates quantitative measures (pace of completion and maximum timeframe) to ensure students can graduate within the maximum number of credit hours required for their program of study. The Academic Progress Policy does not evaluate quantitative measures to determine satisfactory academic progress. Additionally, the Financial Aid SAP Policy imposes stricter consequences for failing to meet the requirements (see below). Therefore, the Financial Aid SAP Policy is stricter than the Academic Progress Policy.

 

 

Qualitative Measure

Students must maintain a fixed, cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 when the SAP evaluation is completed after each semester of enrollment. The financial aid GPA is computed by dividing the total number of grade points by the total credit hours in which grades were earned at Sinclair. The GPA calculation is based on grades reported by faculty to the Registration & Student Records office. Financial Aid staff initiate the SAP evaluation each semester, which systematically determines if the GPA requirement is met.

Quantitative Measure

Pace of Completion (Pace) is the quantitative measures used to evaluate students' progress through their program of study.

The Pace component requires students to receive a passing grade in 66.67% of the total credit hours attempted to ensure students will complete within the maximum timeframe established for their program. The Pace component is evaluated at the end of each semester by dividing the total number of completed credit hours by the total number of attempted credit hours. The Pace component evaluates the percentage, not the number, of successfully completed classes, which allows students flexibility in their enrollment statuses.

Maximum Timeframe Requirement

The MTF component requires students to complete their active program of study within 150% of the published program credit hours. Maximum Timeframe is calculated by multiplying the published program credit hours by 150%. Students with unsatisfactory SAP status due to maximum timeframe are ineligible for financial aid warning, although financial aid probation status may be assigned if the student successfully appeals.

Frequency of Evaluation

The Financial Aid SAP Standards are evaluated at the end of each payment period (Fall, Spring, and Summer Semesters) for students who were enrolled for the semester and for whom Sinclair has received a FAFSA.

Note: An intersession course is combined with the following payment period. Credit hours attempted during intersessions are included in following payment period's SAP evaluation.

Students may be reviewed outside of the evaluation period on a case-by-case basis as determined by a Financial Aid Officer or Manager.  Students will also be reviewed when a FAFSA is received to determine if they are meeting the SAP Standards prior to federal aid disbursing for the first time.

Students on financial aid probation and identified as not meeting academic plan requirements before the end of semester evaluation are notified of their option to appeal. Any such evaluation does not replace the official end of term evaluation completed for all applicable students.

SAP Status Notification

Students are emailed when their financial aid eligibility has changed due to the end of term SAP review. The notification is sent via Sinclair.edu email by the Friday after the last date of the semester.

Financial Aid Warning

Financial Aid Warning status is assigned for one semester of enrollment following an unsuccessful GPA and/or Pace evaluation. This status may be assigned if a student's prior SAP status was Financial Aid Satisfactory (or its equivalent).

The student must meet the minimum cumulative GPA and Pace requirements at the evaluation for the warning semester to continue federal financial aid eligibility. If the requirements are not met, the student's federal financial aid is denied until regaining eligibility by meeting the requirements through completed coursework, or by successfully appealing for reconsideration of federal financial aid eligibility.

There is no limit to the number of times a student may be placed on a Financial Aid Warning status. However, no Financial Aid Warning status may be assigned to consecutive terms of enrollment, i.e., the student must be in a Financial Aid Satisfactory status (or its equivalent) the term prior to being assigned to a Financial Aid Warning status. 

There is no Financial Aid Warning status for MTF status. Students receive an alert when 24 credit hours of eligibility remain and again when 12 credit hours remain for maximum credit hours attempted.

SAP Appeal Process

Students may appeal federal financial aid suspension if extenuating circumstances prevented academic progress during the semester(s) of unsatisfactory SAP status. Students who are not meeting SAP after the end of term evaluation are notified of their financial aid suspension and the appeal process via their Sinclair.edu email. 

The SAP appeal must be submitted to the Financial Aid & Scholarships office for review by the SAP Review Committee.  If the student is enrolled and wants to have the appeal considered for the current payment period, the appeal must be received by the B term census date.  Otherwise, probation will begin the next payment period for which the student enrolls.

The appeal must include the items listed below for initial consideration. Incomplete appeals will be rejected. The SAP Review Committee may request additional documentation or clarification if the documentation provided does not support the timeline or circumstances of the appeal.

SAP Appeal Requirements

• SAP Appeal Form
• Academic Plan Calculation Form completed by their Academic Advisor
• Personal statement addressing the extenuating circumstances that contributed to unsatisfactory academic progress during the corresponding semester(s) in which GPA/SAP requirements were not met
• Statement addressing how circumstances have changed to achieve satisfactory academic progress in the future
• Third party statements must be unbiased documentation of the extenuating circumstances. Letters from individuals must be signed, and professional statements must be signed on company letterhead.
• Extenuating circumstances include, but are not limited to, illness, accident, grievous personal loss, employment change or relocation, or other circumstances beyond the student's control. The following are examples of third-party documentation:

1. Obituaries or death certificates
2. Physician statements verifying extenuating circumstance described in the student's statement
3. Written statement from college staff supporting the student's statement

• Extenuating circumstances do not include, for example, a dislike of an instructor or mode of instruction or a circumstance for which a previous appeal was approved
• Submit SAP Appeal Form through FA Online forms.

Academic Plan Calculation Form

Contact your Academic Advisor to initiate this form. Both the student and Academic Advisor must electronically sign the form to confirm and acknowledge how many credit hours away from certificate/degree completion the student is. This must be uploaded with the appeal and is used to create the academic plan used for the probationary period if appeal is approved. 

SAP Appeal Decision Notification

Appeal decisions are sent via Sinclair.edu email typically within 7-10 days after the appeal is submitted if the Review Committee was able to make a determination.

Financial Aid Probation Status

Financial Aid Probation status is assigned when a student successfully appeals a Financial Aid Unsatisfactory or Financial Aid Maximum Time Frame status. The student is assigned an academic plan that defines the requirements to maintain federal aid eligibility for each semester of enrollment. If the academic plan requirements are not met, the student's federal aid is denied until either regaining eligibility by meeting the requirements through completed coursework, or by successfully appealing for reconsideration of federal financial aid eligibility.

The Academic Advisor and student develop the academic plan to define the probationary period for each student. Successful completion of the academic plan results in program completion or Financial Aid Satisfactory status and continued aid eligibility.

A student may file an SAP appeal to regain federal aid eligibility. The SAP appeal may be approved if the student documents extenuating circumstances during the probationary semester. These must be different than the extenuating circumstance from previous semesters.

Academic Plan Calculation

Students with an approved appeal are placed on a Financial Aid Academic Plan as a condition of Financial Aid Probation. This plan is calculated based on remaining credit hours needed for the active program completion, which the academic advisor certifies on the Financial Aid Academic Plan Calculation Form and the student submits with the SAP appeal. Financial aid staff evaluate the program and cumulative GPA to determine if institutional graduation requirements can be achieved within the remaining program credit hours.

The academic plan includes the required GPA and Pace for each semester of enrollment to maintain federal financial aid eligibility. The academic plan states the first semester of federal aid eligibility authorized by the approved appeal, and each subsequent semester. The active program of study for which the appeal was approved is the only program authorized by the academic plan. If a student on financial aid probation changes programs, federal financial aid is suspended at the end of semester evaluation. The student may re-appeal based on the new program of study.

Revised Academic Plans

A revised Financial Aid Academic Plan Calculation Form may be submitted due to change in required courses or other necessary changes, such as admission to a limited enrollment Health Sciences Degree program. This must be completed and signed by the academic advisor and student. Revised calculation forms are reviewed by Financial Aid Officers on a case-by-case basis. It's possible some revisions could result in suspension at the end of semester evaluation.

Academic Plan Evaluation

Academic plans are reviewed at the end of semester SAP evaluation. The evaluation first assesses satisfactory status of the cumulative qualitative and quantitative SAP components. If the cumulative standards are satisfactory, the financial aid status is Satisfactory, and the student is no longer monitored under the terms of the academic plan. If the student does not meet the cumulative standards but meets the academic plan requirements for the semester, the student remains in financial aid probation status and retains federal financial aid eligibility. If cumulative and academic plan standards are unsatisfactory, federal financial aid is suspended for future semesters. Students may appeal to regain their eligibility if they have a different extenuating circumstance for which the prior appeal was approved.

Academic Plan Notification

The financial aid academic plan is sent via Sinclair.edu email.

Regaining Eligibility

Students who are ineligible to receive federal financial aid due to unsatisfactory SAP status and did not file a successful appeal will be evaluated at the end of the next semester of enrollment if Sinclair has received a FAFSA for the corresponding year. If the cumulative SAP requirements are met, federal financial aid eligibility will be reinstated. Federal financial aid cannot be paid retroactively for a semester during which a student was ineligible to receive federal financial aid.

There is no limit to the number of appeals a student may submit; however, if choosing to re-appeal a previously rejected appeal, documentation not included in prior appeals is necessary for re-consideration, and approval is not guaranteed. For example, documentation of successful completion of college level courses since the previous rejection could be submitted to demonstrate academic progress.

If a student has had multiple approved SAP appeals, a manager may review future appeals and may require a meeting between the student and appropriate Sinclair staff based on the student's situation to discuss terms of FA probation. 

Treatment of Nonpunitive Grades, Repeated Courses, Audited Courses, Pass/Fail Courses, Withdrawals, and Incompletes

Grade Definitions and Treatment in SAP Calculation

Institutional credit hours include college level, developmental (DEV, ACA, and EXL subject codes), and English as a Second Language (ESL subject code).

 

 

Transfer Credit

Transfer credit hours accepted from other institutions are included in both the attempted and completed credit hours calculation for Pace and MTF, but not in cumulative GPA.

Repeat Coursework

All course attempts are calculated in the pace of completion and maximum timeframe. The financial aid SAP policy abides by the College's academic policy regarding the treatment of repeated courses and the placement of grades in the calculation of the cumulative GPA. See the complete Academic Repeat Coursework Policy for additional information. 

Dropped Courses

Attempted credits include all courses in which a student remains enrolled beyond the last day of the add/ drop period of the course, whether the student began attending or not. Courses in which the student drops after the add/drop period are given a grade of "W." 

Fresh Start

The College's academic amnesty policy is superseded by the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress policy when calculating the SAP status to determine financial aid eligibility.

Treatment of Remedial and English as a Second Language Courses

Remedial (Developmental) and English as a Second Language (ESL) courses are included in attempted and completed hours in the Pace and MTF end of semester SAP evaluations. If a grade of pass or fail is received in a remedial or ESL course, a passing grade is calculated as a 2.0 in the financial aid GPA and a failing grade is calculated as zero.

Treatment of Consortium, Change of Major, Second Degree, and Second Major Courses 

Consortium Agreement Grades

Grades received through a consortium or contractual agreements are not included in the end of term GPA calculation. Consortium grades are included in the Pace and MTF end of term SAP calculations as attempted and completed credit hours if a passing grade was earned.

Single Program of Study Requirements

Students may not be enrolled in multiple academic programs concurrently to register for classes. If the student was granted an exception to this policy and has more than one active program of study, the active, highest-credential program with the most recent start date will be evaluated for satisfactory academic progress. The SAP standards will include all Sinclair credits and grades and transfer credits.

 A student must be enrolled in a federal financial aid eligible program before the GPA, Pace or MTF SAP calculation occurs. The student is assigned the SAP status of ineligible program (IEP) until an eligible program is declared. Federal aid ineligible programs include, but are not limited to, Ohio Transfer 36, SCC.Graduate, and non-degree programs with program code ending in ND. Additionally, many certificates are ineligible until approved by the U.S. Department of Education, and some programs are permanently ineligible for federal financial aid. Students should contact an Academic Advisor for information on program federal aid eligibility.

Second Degree or Certificate

Second or subsequent degrees or certificates after graduating from a Sinclair program are permitted under the Financial Aid SAP Policy but are subject to the SAP evaluation requirements. There is no limit to the number of programs a student may complete, and receive federal financial aid, if eligible. If federal aid is suspended due to the SAP evaluation, the student has the option to appeal as described in the Financial Aid SAP Policy.

Change of Major

Changes of major are permitted if the student meets the SAP evaluation requirements. Students who have changed their major and have federal aid subsequently suspended may appeal in accordance with the SAP Appeal Policy. If the student is on financial aid probation and later changes their major, this may result in federal financial aid suspension at the end of term evaluation.

Policy Review

The Financial Aid SAP Policy is reviewed by the Financial Aid & Scholarships leadership staff and approved by the Director of Financial Aid & Scholarships at least annually. The online catalog and website policies are updated if policy changes occur after the annual review. In addition to the Sinclair Online Course Catalog, students may also access the SAP Policy on Sinclair's Financial Aid & Scholarships website or obtain a copy in person at the Financial Aid & Scholarships office located in Dayton Campus Welcome Center.